125 ICC member states voted Friday to remove chief prosecutor Karim Khan, making him the first holder of the post ever ousted from office.
June findings by the court’s oversight body said Khan engaged in a sexual relationship with a female aide and tried to stop her pursuing allegations; Khan has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.
A Sierra Leone motion that would have made removal harder failed early in the New York session, and diplomats said the vote moved ahead several hours earlier than scheduled.
France, the Netherlands and Norway had publicly backed removal, while staff, rights groups and prominent figures split sharply over whether the case reflected proven abuse or political interference.
The decision lands as the 24-year-old court faces U.S. sanctions and a broader campaign to weaken the ICC, leaving the tribunal more divided and vulnerable.